June 7 – What began as a vehicle fire quickly turned into a four-alarm blaze that involved firefighters from two states to get it under control this morning.
The call came in around 8:45 a.m. and when officials arrived at Consolidated Scrap Resources in the 2200 block of York Road, just outside of Gettysburg, the fire had stretched into the scrap yard, measuring 900 feet long and 43 feet high.
The fire involved an explosion, which accelerated the fire.
Word is the fire could be seen from the Maryland state line.
Almost 70 units from Maryland, York and Adams County, involving almost 100 firefighters, worked to contain the blaze.
Fire trucks stretched hoses from 3,000 feet away, as there were no hydrants in the area. More thn 14 tankers were involved.
A section of Route 30 was closed in both directions and people on-route to doctor’s offices had to get in and out a different way.
While no injuries were reported at the time of this story, several firefighters were checked for heat exhaustion while they fought the blaze in temperatures that reached above 90 degrees.
A fire engine from Heidlersburg Volunteer Fire Company caught fire while supplying water to the site. Damage was mostly contained to the engine.
Indeed, crews had to turn a number of the fire apparatuses backwards to keep them from succumbing to the fire that quickly encroached the set up.
The pile would explode on occasion as the fire reached flammable containers, but no projectiles were reported.
The fire was marked under control by 12:30 p.m., but a lot of work still needed to be done to make sure the area was safe.
News Talk 103.7 FM extends prayers for all those involved and kudos for the quick response from first responders. We will update the story as we have more information.
